Maranda Don

Maranda Don is deeply dedicated to equity in science education.

Maranda’s professional experience includes roles as a classroom teacher, mentor teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and director of science curriculum and instruction.

She started her career teaching middle school science in Los Angeles’ Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Charter School Network. She co­-created curriculum maps for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science, served as the science department lead, and co-created the network-wide annual science fair program.

Her skills as a teacher leader and trainer led to her appointment as Manager of Teacher Leadership Development with Teach for America in Los Angeles. In that post, she worked with teachers conducting consistent coaching cycles to strengthen individual teaching practices and implement culturally relevant pedagogy.

In 2019 she was appointed Assistant Principal at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in Los Angeles. There, Maranda served as a school leader and coach, including successfully piloting three new science curricular programs.

Following her move to Chicago in 2020, she worked as K-8 Science Director for the Collaborative for Curriculum (CFC) at Niles Township High School District 219. There, she provided district-level NGSS professional development for K-8 teachers across multiple schools districts.

Maranda’s undergraduate degree is in Human Development from the University of California-San Diego. She has earned two Master of Education degrees, one in School Leadership & Administration and a second in Urban Education and Educational Policy. Both are from Loyola Marymount University.